What nerves are affected by C4 C5 C6 and C7?
Emma Martin
Published Mar 19, 2026
What nerves are affected by C4 C5 C6 and C7?
From the lateral cord, C5, C6, and C7 supply the pectoralis major and minor muscles, via the lateral and medial pectoral nerves, as well as the coracobrachialis, brachialis and biceps brachii, via the musculocutaneous nerve. The musculocutaneous nerve provides sensation to the skin of the lateral forearm.
What part of the spine controls the shoulders?
The C4 dermatome covers parts of the neck, shoulders, and upper part of arms. C5 helps control the deltoids (which form the rounded contours of the shoulders) and the biceps (which allow bending of the elbow and rotation of the forearm). The C5 dermatome covers the outer part of the upper arm down to about the elbow.
Can C5 C6 cause shoulder pain?
Patients with C5 or C6 radiculopathy complain of shoulder area pain or shoulder girdle weakness. Typical idiopathic neuralgic amyotrophy (INA) is also characterized by severe shoulder pain, followed by paresis of shoulder girdle muscles.
What are the symptoms of a pinched nerve at C6?
Symptoms
- Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve.
- Sharp, aching or burning pain, which may radiate outward.
- Tingling, pins and needles sensations (paresthesia)
- Muscle weakness in the affected area.
- Frequent feeling that a foot or hand has “fallen asleep”
What nerves are affected by C3 C4 C5 C6?
Branches of the C3, C4, and C5 spinal nerves form the phrenic nerve that innervates the diaphragm, enabling breathing. Within the spinal canal of each of these motion segments, the spinal cord is protected by the vertebral bodies in front and vertebral arches at the back.
What does it mean when you hear crunching in your neck?
Some of the more common causes of neck cracking and grinding sounds, also called neck crepitus, include: Pressure changes within the cervical facet joints. Ligament or tendon movements around bone or near their bony attachments. Adjacent bones grinding together.
What nerves are affected by C6 C7?
The C6-C7 disc is 6th cervical disc near the lower part of the neck, near the top of the shoulders. The nerve root that would be affected by the C6-C7 disc herniation controls the arms, the shoulders, the heart, the lungs, and more.
What does T7 nerve control?
The nerves in the area of a vertebra control specific parts of the body. For example, the 7th cervical nerve (C7) in the neck area controls the triceps (the muscle in the upper arm), while the thoracic nerves (T2 through T7) control the chest muscles.
What nerves do C6/C7 affect?
What cervical nerve affects shoulder?
C5 nerve root (between cervical vertebrae C4-C5): Weakness in the deltoid muscle (front and side of the shoulder) and upper arm.
Can a pinched nerve be detected with an MRI?
MRI scans which show soft tissues, such as nerves and discs, are generally preferred over CT scans which show bony elements. Advanced imaging can show exactly which nerve or nerves are being pinched and what is causing the nerve to be pinched.
What does C2 affect?
The C2 nerves affect sensation at the top and back of the scalp, ear lobes, and front of the neck. They also affect the muscles used for neck flexion (nodding).